Camelot Property Management Explained

Camelot Property Management Ltd.
Type:Private Limited Company
Foundation:1993
Key People:Joost van Gestel, CEO
Industry:Property, Security
Num Employees:200
Num Locations:12 (Belgium, France, Germany, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands and United Kingdom)

Camelot Property Management Ltd. (Dutch; Flemish: Camelot Beheer BV) is a vacant property management firm started in the Netherlands in 1993.[1] [2] Camelot manages commercial and residential properties on behalf of landlords and property developers by assigning people to occupy vacant buildings to deter squatters.[3] [4]

Overview

They are notable for having taken most of their UK subsidiary companies into voluntary liquidation several times,[5] the most recent being November 2019[6] after Camelot Guardian Management Ltd were successfully prosecuted for 15 breaches of the Housing Act.[7]

Occupiers pay a deposit and a weekly management fee, often a half of the private rental sector equivalent for similar properties in the same area, and in return they help keep the property secure through being occupied.[8]

The occupiers do not have the same tenancy rights for six months notice and have fewer rights than squatters.[9] [10]

Other companies offering similar property guardian services include Live-In Guardians, Dex Property Management, VPS Guardians and Ad-Hoc Property Management.[11] These companies have been taken to court over several different breaches such as health and safety of their guardians, some for illegally renting out properties without the owners consent.[12]

Camelot also provide squat eviction services and security guards. The company successfully lobbied the French government to introduce anti-squatting legislation.[13]

In 2016, the former headquarters of Camelot in Shoreditch, east London, were occupied by squatters.[14]

References

  1. Web site: Van Antikraak Tot Tijdelijke Verhuur. Camelot Beheer BV. 9 September 2010. 26 July 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100726044553/http://nl.cameloteurope.com/. live.
  2. News: Sinclair. Julie. London: On guard and in pocket. 9 September 2010. The Sunday Times. 28 March 2004. 25 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110825054138/http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article1051184.ece. live.
  3. News: Norwood. Graham. Property guardian schemes offer quirky homes at low rents. But not for long. 9 September 2010. The Guardian. 10 January 2010. 7 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150507180150/http://www.theguardian.com/money/2010/jan/10/property-guardian-schemes. live.
  4. News: Creasey. Simon. Licensed live-in minders protect against squatters. 27 October 2010. Property Week. October 2002. 29 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120329043900/http://www.propertyweek.com/licensed-live-in-minders-protect-against-squatters/3022764.article. live.
  5. Web site: UK Director or various Camelot Guardian companies, Joost VAN GESTEL - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House). beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20231110021709/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/nTs1wBXCWTv5y91kJ1-OYOTTSVs/appointments. 2023-11-10. 2019-11-26. live.
  6. Web site: CAMELOT REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT LIMITED - Filing history (free information from Companies House). beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. en. 2019-11-26. 2023-11-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20231110021710/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10525303/filing-history. live.
  7. Web site: Property guardian company prosecuted over former care home where more than 30 guardians lived with one kitchen. inews.co.uk. 29 March 2019. en. 2019-11-26. 2023-11-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20231110021752/https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/property-guardian-company-prosecuted-over-former-care-home-where-more-than-30-guardians-lived-with-one-kitchen-274724. live.
  8. Web site: About property guardianship. 2019-11-26. Property Guardian Providers Association. PGPA. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200807154839/https://www.propertyguardianproviders.com/about . 2020-08-07 .
  9. News: Finchett-Maddock. Lucy. Who's guarding property guardians?. 27 October 2010. The Guardian. 9 July 2010. 26 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151226001656/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/jul/09/housing-property-guardians-squatters-rights. live.
  10. Book: The Squatters Handbook 13th edition. 2009. ASS. 978-0-9507769-6-5. 13.
  11. Web site: PGPA list of members. 2019-11-26. Property Guardian Providers Association. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200918164043/https://www.propertyguardianproviders.com/services . 2020-09-18 . 2015-09-08.
  12. Web site: Property guardians and 'non-domestic rates'. Peaker. Giles. 2018-09-20. Nearly Legal: Housing Law News and Comment. en-GB. 2019-12-10. 2019-12-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20191210155045/https://nearlylegal.co.uk/2018/09/property-guardians-and-non-domestic-rates/. live.
  13. Web site: Dutch 'Anti-squat' concept entered into new French legislation. Camelot Property Management. 27 October 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110708112835/http://uk.cameloteurope.com/302/4/dutch-anti-squat-concept-entered-into-new-french-legislation/dutch-anti-squat-concept-entered-into-new-french-legislation.html. 2011-07-08. dead.
  14. News: Taylor . Diane . London protesters occupy former HQ of property management firm . 14 April 2019 . 27 September 2016 . 14 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190414205810/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/27/london-protesters-occupy-former-hq-of-property-management-firm . live .

External links

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Camelot Property Management".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.